Monday, 29 June 2009

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence published guidelines earlier this year on the use of Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) for dropped foot. They recognised the use of FES as an effective evidence based treatment for dropped foot. It is particularly good news for people with MS that the guidance specifically refers to its application in those with lesions of "central nervous system origin".We offer a FES Clinic at the Berkshire MS Therapy Centre. For further information please contact our Physiotherapy Manager ruth@bmstc.org of call 0118 901 6000 and ask to speak to Ruth or Mohamed.For more information see http://guidance.nice.org.uk/IPG278/Guidance/pdf/English

Are You Getting All The Money You Are Entitled To? Many pensioners are not getting the Pension Credit or Attendance Allowance they are entitled to.

Reading Borough Council and the Pension Service are working together to ensure you don't miss out.

What is Pension Credit?

Pension Credit is a tax free payment which helps people over 60 and on low or moderate incomes. If you are 65 and over the scheme becomes more generous. So try again if you were turned down before your 65th Birthday.

If you are disabled, area a carer, have a mortgage or pay owner occupier service charges the basic amount you need to live on may be higher than average.

What is Attendance Allowance?

Attendance Allowance is for people 65 and over who need help with their personal care. Personal Care has a wide definition and includes things like help with washing, dressing, memory issues, mobility difficulties and falls, continence issues, food and drink preparation or a need for supervision. If any of these apply to you and you have other needs you may be entitled to Attendance Allowance.

You can get Attendance Allowance even if no one is actually giving you the help you need. You don't even need to be prepared to accept help. You choose how to spend the allowance.

Attendance Allowance is not dependent on your income and capital and is Tax Free.

Getting Attendance Allowance may make you entitled to, or increase existing awards of Pension Credit and Rent and/or Council Tax Benefits.

For more information call the Pension Service local office on 01344 744 916 or visit

Thursday, 25 June 2009

Researchers in the UK believe a common cancer drug could revolutionise the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS).Not only is it a pill but it is also more effective at slowing the debilitating disease.Eighteen-thousand Australians have the crippling, often unpredictable disease.Currently, the only treatments involve constant injections and sufferers have long wanted an alternative to that harsh form of medication.http://www.mstrust.org.uk/news/recentstories/article.jsp?id=3097

Information one of our MS Members wishes to pass on to others................

Dr. Ian Zagon is the doctor/scientist who discovered the beneficial use of LDN (low dose naltrexone) for autoimmune diseases. He is studying and researching this drug with the help of laboratory mice. Low Dose Naltrexone is a cheap generic out of patent drug that is showing great promise for all autoimmune diseases, including MS. Mary Boyle Bradley who is Irish but lives in the States is an avid campaigner to get this drug, which has kept her husband’s PPMS from progressing, more widely known and recognised by patients and their doctors. To this extent she has started to broadcast weekly on an internet radio station and to interview people, who have made and are making significant contributions to the promotion of this drug and people, who are benefitting from LDN.

On Tuesday, 23 June 2009, at 6pm (GMT) she will be interviewing Dr. Ian Zagon. This should be a very interesting interview. Please tune in live or listen to it eventually, as all the broadcasts are archived and can be listened to at your convenience. Here’s the link.

Dr Andrew Weir, Neurologist and Regional Specialty Advisor at the Royal Berkshire hospital and John Radcliffe hospital.

Start 6.30pm - 7pm: Finger buffet - 7pm - 8.30pm: Talk followed by a Q&A sessionDr Weir will look at the progressive aspect of multiple sclerosis including:· What is progressive MS?· How does it differ from other forms of MS?· What is happening in progressive MS?· What treatments are available now?· What hopes are there for the future? These talks are free and open to all, but numbers are limited, so book soon. Also please take into consideration others that would want to attend and make every effort to come or let us know as early as you can if you need to cancel so we can make your place available to people on the waiting list. To book your place or find out more, book online. Go to: http://www.mssociety.org.uk/news_events/events/progressive_ms.htmlOr contact:

Wednesday, 24 June 2009

We introduced Chiropody as a core therapy at the beginning of 2009. Take up for this treatment has been very high. The treatment is currenlty available each week on an alternating Monday and Wednesday. From the 4th Septmeber it will also be available every Friday.

Thursday, 18 June 2009

Beyond Boundaries Live 2009, the UK's leading lifestyle event for people with disabilities, is set to be the biggest and best yet as it moves to it's new home at Farnborough FIVE on 4th & 5th July. For more information and to book tickets please visit www.bblive.co.uk

Tuesday, 16 June 2009

Disease modifying drug therapy: what you need to know is designed to help people with MS decide on the most appropriate approach to treatment and to discuss their options with their health professionals.http://www.mstrust.org.uk/news/article.jsp?id=3071

Australian and New Zealand scientists are a step closer to unravelling what causes multiple sclerosis.The researchers have pinpointed two regions in the human genome which contain genes that increase a person's risk of developing the debilitating autoimmune disease.The scientists say this may lead, eventually to being able to prevent people developing MS.http://www.msrc.co.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=show&pageid=1347

A one-stop information and advice service for the unsung army of carers who look after ill, frail or disabled friends and relatives was officially launched today by Care Services Minister Phil Hope.The Carers Direct hotline will make England's 5 million carers' lives easier and reduce the time and stress of searching out essential advice.http://www.mstrust.org.uk/news/article.jsp?id=3081

New research released by the MS Society has for the first time revealed an accurate estimate of the number of people living with a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) in the UK.The results show that there is likely to be around 100,000 people with MS in the UK - a 20 per cent increase on previous estimates.http://www.mssociety.org.uk/news_events/news/press_releases/numbers_pwms.html